Order in the Court I
Order in the Court
Dust motes float by sun drenched
Windows,gavel rests on wood square,
Brass spittoon shines at heavy door.
Folks’ hushed voices echo
Overhead, murmuring of bees.
Silent fear hangs on gray walls.
Bailiff fidgets, waits by judge’s door,
Defendant’s attorney chair sits empty,
Terrified plaintiff tortures a handkerchief.
Justice waits for vices of men to play
Across this ancient stage. Stories
Silly others grim fill aged crevices.
Walk with me to view folly or fallacy
Of man played out for judge and jury.
Win or lose woven in this court’s room.
Hear ye, hear ye, time-worn litany spills
From practiced lips demands decorum.
Doors open, officials move. .All rise.
A dance to justice, led by black robed
Dispenser of good, bad, right, wrong
Opinion for this parade of procedure.
Order in the court, the honorable
Judge Edward Hill, presiding.
Who versus Who Intoned.
Gavel taps. Court is in session.
7 thoughts on "Order in the Court I"
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Lovely way to show us the whole story.
Lovely story. Hits all the right notes.
Ignore above, I am stumbling my way through the new site.
I can see a collection of court poems coming our way!! Wonderful to read/hear your unique voice again, Bruce!! By the way, I love “plaintiff tortures a handkerchief” What a terrific verb to use!!
I am especially impressed with those first three verses. Masterful.
engaging opening lines, “Dust motes float by sun drenched/
Windows” what with the monosyllabic assonance
“Silent fear hangs on gray walls.” Lots of nice images here Bruce!
Draws me in the courtroom visually:
Dust motes float by sun drenched
Windows,gavel rests on wood square,
Brass spittoon shines at heavy door.
and emotionally:
Folks’ hushed voices echo
Overhead, murmuring of bees.
Silent fear hangs on gray walls.
Bailiff fidgets, waits by judge’s door,
Defendant’s attorney chair sits empty,
Terrified plaintiff tortures a handkerchief.